Jeff Roberson / AP

Brett Favre needs to play next season, but not for the sorry Packers, writes columnist Mike Celizic.

Favre isn’t a long-term answer, but none of these teams are looking long term. They’re looking next year. Give them a quarterback who can lead one great push and that’s all they’ll ask for.

Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath and Joe Montana all tried to extend their careers with new teams, but all moved on because their original teams decided they were finished, which turned out to be the case, with only Montana of that trio having something approaching success with his new team, the Chiefs, which it took two rounds deep into the playoffs.

Favre is different. If he leaves the Packers, it wouldn’t be because he’s finished, it would be because he’s had enough with a team whose future is going to take more time arriving than he has left.

Favre can still throw the logo off an official NFL football, but it’s been a while since he’s had a team around him that can do anything except stand around and wait for him to either save the day or throw a really bad interception. After blowing the NFC championship game two years ago to the Eagles, I figured he and the Packers had gone as far as they were ever going to go.

That’s why I said last year he should hang them up. Because if Favre wasn’t winning, it wasn’t a whole lot of fun. Watching one of the greatest players you’d ever seen in your life get beaten up, down and sideways week after week was like watching a Ferrari in a demolition derby — impressive while it lasted, but ultimately a horrible waste of a thoroughbred machine and not anything you wanted to see again.

But with so many teams that just need a quarterback to make the difference, it seems silly for him to give up entirely. He can even help the Packers in the process by letting his old team collect a couple of draft picks in trade for his services.

That’s a win-win situation. Favre gets one last shot at a title; the Packers get to get on with a rebuilding process that can’t really start until he’s gone anyway.

And we don’t ever have to watch him play a stinker game on Monday night again.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 4 games STEELERS 23, RAVENS 20, OT: Baltimore loses first game of season REDSKINS 26, COWBOYS 24: Dallas can't contain Portis in 1st loss BEARS 24, EAGLES 20: Goal-line stand boosts Chicago JETS 56, CARDINALS 35: Favre throws career-high 6 TDs BUCS 30, PACKERS 21: Ryan's 3 FGs lift Tampa CHARGERS 28, RAIDERS 18: San Diego tops rival 10th straight time BILLS 31, RAMS 14: Buffalo 4-0 for first time since 1992 CHIEFS 33, BRONCOS 19: Johnson rushes for 198 yards for K.C. BROWNS 20, BENGALS 12: Anderson throws TD TITANS 30, VIKINGS 17: Tennessee 4-0 for first time ever PANTHERS 24, FALCONS 9: Smith honors Lucas after TD JAGUARS 30, TEXANS 27, OT: Scobey kicks game winner SAINTS 31, 49ERS 17: McAlister scores first TD of year

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